Pet life
by PuffinPixel
Summary: Chimera AU created by me. Original can be found on my dA page, Puffinpixel. Chimera were pets. Genetically engineered pets made up by a human no one would miss and an animal. It should have been criminal, but the world had changed. OC belongs to Naxylie on dA.
1. Beginnings

_**Name list**_

**Croatia: Jelena  
>Mikkel: Denmark<strong>

* * *

><p>Chimera were hybrid pets. Half human and half animal. Somehow, the social norm accepted these as pets, removing all their human rights because technically, they weren't actually humans anymore. No one questioned it, no one stood up for the chimera. Not even as countless articles in the newspapers and magazines told the truth. Chimera were humans once. Children taken off the streets, people no one would miss. Lonely people who no one knew. Orphans.<p>

It was dangerous to be poor in this world.

Chimera weren't usually sold everywhere either. Usually, only the nobility and rich could afford one. This is why Jelena was so surprised when she saw one in her local pet store.

Her original plan was to buy a hamster. A cute little one who could make some noise in her empty house. But as she was browsing the various cages, her eye wandered over to the bigger cage in the room behind the parted curtains.  
>The cage was painfully small for this creature, that much was obvious.<br>He was pale, slender and looked like he was about to kill something. His dark blue eyes darted back and forth, looking for a way to escape. His hair was pale blonde and messy, and he was clothed in the standard chimera outfit. To show off his body, it was skin tight and white. The material wasn't the most comfortable, judging by the red areas on his arms and thighs.  
>Her eyes moved down to gaze at his tail. A white and fluffy tail he curled around his legs in a pathetic attempt to fit in the cage. Could he be a fox?<br>She looked up at his face. Slit pupils and triangle ears matching the tail. The ears pressed against his skull, and footsteps behind her alerted her to the store owner's presence.

"Don't think you would like that one" he commented. "He's half price, but..." he hesitated.  
>Jelena stared at him. "Why is he half price?" she inquired.<p>

"He's aggressive. This is his last day. If no one buys him before I close today, he's put down." the answer came out slow, like he didn't care at all that a being as intelligent as a human was going to die.

She looked back at the chimera, who glared up at her and kept to the very back of the cage. He didn't seem that aggressive to her. He seemed to be defensive.

"So, anything I can help you with? You were looking at the hamster cages earlier, right?" he had put on his selling smile and attitude.  
>Something in her told her that this chimera needed her. That she was his last chance to live.<br>How could she possibly refuse?  
>"How much?" she finally spoke.<p>

"Pardon?"  
>"How much for the chimera?"<p>

They had transported him for her, thankfully. He was too heavy for her to carry on her own. He had cost her all the money she had set aside, but she was sure he was worth it. Even if the way he barred his teeth and emitted a strangled hissing sound as they sedated him for the transport should have told her otherwise.  
>She felt a bit overwhelmed however. She knew of chimera, but not how to care for one. And thus, she found herself on the computer, looking up different forums and articles. Finding an article or a forum entry that helped her was hard however. She knew he was a cat chimera...<p>

She looked at his papers again. Norwegian forest cat. The store owner didn't have a name to provide her with. The workers had called him Norway because of the breed he was, but you couldn't call a person that. That was a country name.

There was a sound coming from upstairs. The chimera had woken up it seemed. She would have to think of a name for him later, or have him provide her with his name if he remembered it.

She walked upstairs to the guest room, or, the chimera's room.

Inside, she was met with a dazed glare, and another strangled hiss. She slowly approached the boy on the bed. His paper said he was 19 years old, only a year younger than herself, so maybe she could connect with him easier than an old adult would have.

"Hello, are you feeling alright?" she tried, but still the boy hissed at her and flattened his ears.

Frowning, she moved closer to him.  
>"Please, I am just trying to make sure you are okay" she tried once more, but the chimera glared at her and rounded his shoulders.<p>

Suddenly he lashed out, managing to scratch her arm with his claws. Then he retreated to the end of the bed, pressing his back firmly against the wall and glaring at her, watching her every movement.

She slowly backed up and walked to the door. Maybe it was better she gave him some time. She had some research to do.

She closed the door and walked back to her computer downstairs and opened Google.  
>It was time to read up on how cats worked.<p>

"How come there is so much information on cats that isn't relative to my situation at all?!" Jelena screamed and threw her notebook across the room before huffing and crossing her arms stubbornly.  
>2 hours should have been enough to get what she wanted, but somehow she only found a little info on actual cat chimera and much more about normal cats. How frustrating!<br>She took a deep breath before deciding to check on the chimera upstairs. Just in case he had escaped somehow. She tended to be impossible to distract once she was working on something, so he might have snuck past her and out the door.  
>Swiftly, the brunette climbed the stairs in her little house and slowly opened the door to the chimera's room. She really needed a name for him soon. It was annoying to call him "The chimera" all the time.<br>He was not on the bed. Not at all.  
>She scanned the room quickly, but saw no sign of him. Until a soft noise made her look up towards the ceiling.<br>He was on the closet.  
>How did he get up there? It looked so uncomfortable, the way he was pressed into that tiny space just under the ceiling.<br>"Why did you go up there? Isn't the bed more comfortable?" she asked, only to be met with another strangled hiss and a snarl.  
>"Still don't like me, huh. You know, if it wasn't for me, you would be dead by now!" she muttered bitterly. Clearly this chimera was more animal than human if he thought she was still a threat.<br>His ears flickered, but his eyes didn't move from hers, nor did he move his body.  
>Something made her study his stance.<br>Crouched, ears flickering before they pressed against his head again. His shoulders were rounded, like he was both trying to make himself small and appear rounder than he actually was. Buffer almost.  
>She tilted her head at his behavior. If she could see his tail, then maybe she could figure out what was wrong with him.<br>She climbed on top of the bed and stared at him. He glared back and tried to shuffle further away from her.  
>His tail was pressed into his body, and fluffed up to twice its normal size.<br>Of course. How could she be so stupid?! He was more animal than human for one reason, and that was fear. He was scared of her, of this place, of humans. That is why he was attacking people if they came too close. He was only defending himself.

She sighed and slowly made her way down to the floor again and walked out, leaving him alone.  
>She knew who to call, but she didn't want him in her house yet. More people than one would be too much for the chimera at this time. Better make sure he knows he's safe somehow.<p>

After a call to her neighbor, who also happened to be a veterinarian she had gathered enough information to proceed with operation "Befriend".

She was damned if she would let this person live in fear for the rest of his life!  
>She opened a can of tuna, and another, and another. He looked so hungry. Judging from his physique, he couldn't have eaten very well before she met him.<br>"Ok, Jelena. You can do this... poor thing is probably very hungry and scared, so... deep breaths... don't get angry at him..."  
>With a plate full of tuna, she climbed the stairs yet again and knocked on the door before entering.<br>The chimera had relocated to under the bed this time. His eyes were shining in the shadows.  
>"I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were scared before now... and you must have been hungry too, so... Here. Peace offering." she put the plate down half way between herself and the bed, then she sat down. She could wait. She wanted to see him better, and she wanted him to know it was ok to trust her.<p>

It took 20 minutes of her sitting completely still before anything happened. Silent movement from under the bed alerted her to the chimera's interest in the food.  
>Another 10 minutes, and she could make out his facial features.<br>5 more minutes and she saw him poke his head out from under the bed. His face was pale, but had sharp features. If it weren't for his jawbone, she would've struggled to determine his gender. His eyes were a dark shade of blue, but they were lighter in the middle right before his slit pupils showed. The inside of his eyes had markings she hadn't seen before. They created a line just a few shades darker than his skin, and they made his eyes look sharp. There were also some markings under his eyes that looked like light freckles.  
>His hair reached his jaw and was a pale, ashen blonde color. In a sense, it matched his pure white ears. He stared at her, then the plate,and then at her again, slowly moving forward and watching if she moved with him. She did not, and concentrated instead on his arms. The shape of them looked human, but the back of his hand and arm were covered in silky looking, white fur. He had claws on the end of his fingers as well. They hadn't been trimmed down in a long while, if her arm wound was to go by.<p>

When he decided that she wasn't going to move, he continued towards the plate. His slender body followed the arms, and then his legs. His legs had the same skin texture as his arms. His thighs were normal like a human's, but the back of his legs had fur, along with his feet.  
>From his lower back hang a long and fluffy tail, completely white. It looked like the tip of it reached his ankles.<br>Slowly, he reached out and with careful movements, he curled his fingers around the edge of the plate and dragged it towards himself, watching Jelena in case she decided she wanted to take the food back. After a minute of complete silence, he started to eat. Small bits at a time. It didn't take long before he had eaten it all and sat on folded legs, licking his fingers clean.  
>It was remarkable how much like a cat he acted when he looked so human.<br>Jelena decided to try and speak with him.  
>"Was it good?" she softly spoke, so she wouldn't startle him. He paused his licking and stared at her again. Moments passed before he slowly nodded.<br>So he did understand her.

She stood up and noticed he still didn't completely trust her. He had pushed himself closer to the bed again.  
>"Do you like other things? I am not sure how human your tastes are... And I'm not sure if you can eat some of the things I can, but you are welcome to come look in the fridge."<br>He didn't answer her. Not even a nod or a shake. He just slowly retreated backwards under the bed again and watched her walk out of the room.  
>She wasn't sure how she would make him trust her. Mikkel said he needed time depending on how animalistic his instincts are, but to Jelena he seemed more cat than human at this point. She had read of cats not coming out in over a week, and the poor thing must have starved by then!<br>Worried, she went to bed. She didn't stop thinking of the poor chimera in the room next to her until sleep took her.  
>When she woke up, she wondered if she didn't need to worry so much after all. Because when she entered the kitchen, she found a fluffy tail stick out from behind the open fridge door accompanied by the sight of various foods falling to the floor and a sound of disgust.<p> 


	2. The neighbor

_**Name list  
><strong>_**Jelena: Croatia**

**Mikkel: Denmark**

**Bjørn Sweden**

**Elias: Ladonia**

* * *

><p>During the week, she caught herself wondering why the thought had ever entered her mind. Caring for a chimera was much more difficult than what she had expected. In hindsight, it wasn't that smart to startle the chimera that morning when he was checking out her fridge, but he was breaking things! Jars of jam and pickles and butter all over her kitchen! She had read that if you raise a cat right, it will know what it's allowed to do and not, so in her mind it was perfectly fine to raise her voice when he broke her strawberry jam.<br>Her arms had been scratched open quite painfully when she tried to grab him and calm him down.  
>"I guess he has his limits... I wish he could talk to me instead of ripping my arms to shreds every time though..."<br>She took a sip from her coffee and looked up at her neighbor.  
>Mikkel looked like he always did. His light blue eyes shimmered with mirth, and his blonde hair stood up wildly, making him look like a blonde palm tree. She mentioned this for him once, but he insisted it was natural.<p>

"You have to give him time, you know? He's a cat after all." he said with his mouth full of pastry. "Let me see his papers?"  
>Jelena handed them over to him and watched as his expression went from carefree to concentrated within the blink of an eye.<p>

Maybe he could get something out of that wall of text. He was a veterinarian after all.

"Hmm, 19 years old... 15 in Chimera years.. so he was turned when he was 4 years old, huh? He must be in tune with his instincts then..." he muttered as he read the documents.  
>"His mind is 5050? That's rather normal for a cat chimera. His instincts take up half his human mind. Depending on what kind of education he has has in previous homes, it shouldn't be a problem to have him controlled. But I am concerned with his aggressive behavior."  
>Jelena sighed loudly.<br>"I got him for half price because they said no one else wanted him because of that. What could be the reason he acts like that?"  
>Mikkel sipped his coffee and hummed in thought.<p>

"My best guess without having seen him is that he was treated badly by his previous owner. Animals tend to act aggressive to keep their defense up. Best defense is a good offense after all. It makes people leave him alone, and he feels safe when he is alone. No one can hurt him, yeah?"

She hummed in agreement. That did seem like the most logical reason.  
>"But what do I do? I don't want him to fear me." she despaired.<p>

The blonde thought for a few moments before he turned his head towards the hallway.  
>"Bjørn? Could you come in here please?" he called.<p>

Footsteps approached the kitchen the two sat in, and soon a tall chimera stepped through the doorway. He had the look of a Nordic man. Fair skin, tall, muscular. It was obvious from the thick mane that surrounded his head that he was a lion chimera. The long tail with the bushy tip confirmed it as well. He also had two round ears at the top of his head, just like the cat chimera had. He wore glasses somehow, a plain, white t-shirt and tight black jeans. Overall a casual look. He acted more human than most chimera, and blended in with humanity perfectly if it hadn't been for his animalistic features.  
>"What is it, Mikkel?" he grunted. His voice was deep and gruff.<br>"I wanted some help with Jelena's chimera. You could have some insight and help her, I assume?"  
>"Because I am also a chimera, is that why?"<br>"Bjørn! Don't assume that I'm using you now!" Mikkel laughed. "Our relationship isn't like that!"  
>"What <strong>is<strong> your relationship like?" Jelena inquired with a raised eyebrow.

The chimera answered for her in a low huff.  
>"Roommates. An' he lets me work so I can afford to keep my son"<br>"You have a son? How come I haven't seen him around? I have lived next to you guys for 5 years now!" she grumbled. She was considered a friend, wasn't she?  
>"Elias is shy" came the short answer.<p>

An awkward silence engulfed the small kitchen before the lion chimera coughed and asked Jelena about her predicament.  
>"So he wont calm down, and he's scared of you" he summarized.<p>

Jelena nodded.  
>"It's like whenever I think he's okay with me, he rips my arms open" she showed him her arms. They were covered in many bright red lines and some were still bleeding.<br>"I have had him for a week now, and he only trusts me to give him food and water."  
>Bjørn closed his eyes in thought. He hummed slightly and after a few moments, he opened them again. "Well, he is much more bound by his instincts than I am, so I can't say for sure. But I do know that if I had been treated badly, I would not easily trust anyone either. Most likely, you will have to wait. Give him time and don't be angry with him if he makes mistakes. You could also try to explain your house rules to him, so you can avoid those arms" he pointed at them. "Make sure you clean them properly. I don't think he has had a bath in a while with his behavior"<p>

That last comment made her grimace. No, he had in fact not bathed at all since she got him, and god knows when he last took a shower or bath.

"Thank you for your help, Bjørn. I'm hopeless with these kind of things" she smiled up at the tall chimera, who gave her a very small, awkward smile back.  
>"I better take my leave now... Have to make sure he hasn't thrown out my last jam just to piss me off..." she muttered and quietly made her way to the hallway and pulled on her shoes.<br>Mikkel followed her and gave her the papers back, along with a small bag of items.  
>"For the chimera. Cats bond with the owner through play so maybe these will help" was all he said as he pushed her out the door with a small "good luck".<p>

Before the door closed fully, however, she thought she could see a glimpse of a small child with red hair.

Well, Mikkel was not entirely wrong. When she had returned home, she found the chimera sitting behind the couch in her living room. He stared warily at her and she decided she would at least try to make him understand the ground rules.  
>"Hey, listen... I just wanted to tell you what rules you have to follow here. So... here goes nothing." she nervously took a breath to steady herself. She felt so stupid. What if the chimera didn't understand her at all?<br>"ok, rule number one: Don't throw food around the house. It's for eating, not for messing around with. Rule number two: If you are eating upstairs, please take the plate down and place it in the dishwasher. You don't have to take out the dishes if the machine is full, just place them in the sink.  
>Rule number three: do NOT touch my lady things in the bathroom. I mean it. It's the one thing I don't want you to mess around with. I can show you what I am talking about, but please don't touch it.<p>

Rule number four: TRY an listen to me, alright? I just want what's best for you and me. We are living together now after all."

She looked over at his barely visible face from behind the couch, and sighed.  
>"Did you understand me?" she asked gently.<br>At first she was thinking about going back to Mikkel's house and throttle him, but then, the chimera nodded in understanding.  
>"So you understand human language..." she muttered before deciding to ask him another question.<p>

"Can you speak?"

Hesitation. Then, a nod followed by a shake of his head. He lifted his hand and gently rested it against the front of his throat.  
>Jelena slowly walked up to him and knelt before him, so she could see him better. He removed his hand, and there, she could see something that looked like the outline of a small box.<br>"A speech jammer?!" she whispered. The chimera stared at the floor, his ears flattening again.

So Mikkel had been right. This chimera had been treated very badly by his previous owners.  
>She felt an intense urge to kill something brutally, but decided that the boy before her came first. She immediately threw herself over her phone and called her neighbor. He had work to do.<p>

Mikkel had been fast, she had to admit. The second she mentioned the speech jammer, he had set up an appointment the next morning, as soon as his shipment of supplies came into the clinic.

Getting her chimera to come with her had been difficult, however.

She had to tell him exactly who he was going to see, why, and how long before he got back to his safe room again. Eventually he agreed to go with her, but at a very slow pace. He sniffed the air and she noticed him dodging areas she suspected Bjørn had been around, like the front seat as well as the back seat on the driver's side. She had been lucky enough to get a lift from Mikkel, and as soon as he saw the cat chimera, he willed his face to look very gentle, yet professional.  
>The boy seemed to not mind him as much, and Jelena swore she had to learn that trick.<br>As they drove out of the driveway, she could see a small boy, around 8 or 9 years of age. He was playing with a small ball on his own in the backyard of the vet's house. He had a slight mane in a red color, and a short, matching tail. It was obvious from his ears that he was a smaller lion chimera. _That must be Elias _she thought to herself, and her suspicions were correct when she spotted Bjørn watching him.

It didn't take them long to be on their way and reach the clinic. As soon as they got out, Mikkel dressed in his white coat, pulled on light blue latex gloves and gestured for the chimera to sit on the examination bed.  
>The boy slowly moved up on the table and gripped the edge of the table tightly, until his knuckles turned white.<br>"Don't worry, I am just going to see your throat and we'll take an x-ray to see if we can remove it. You'll be able to speak again soon" Mikkel softly muttered as he slowly moved his hands closer to the cat's face.  
>"It it ok if I touch you?"<br>He received a small nod and just as slow, he raised his hands to move the chimera's head about. He studied the abnormal structure of his throat before letting go and humming quietly to himself.  
>Jelena sat in the corner and watched anxiously.<br>"Ok, Now if you could please follow me over here, so I can get that x-ray..." the chimera followed obediently, but not without hesitation. Again, he sniffed the machine for any signs of another animal's territory. When he found none, he slowly stepped inside.  
>Mikkel gave him instructions to stand still, and told him that he would hear a lot of strange noses. The chimera stood dead still as the veterinarian got his picture.<br>"How does it look?" Jelena found her voice again.  
>The tall blonde turned to her and gave her a small smile.<br>"It hasn't damaged anything, so I will be able to operate right away. I will need your help to calm him, since this is Bjørn's day off."

She wasn't sure what that meant, but she had no choice but to accept. She stood up and moved over to the table, where the chimera had taken a seat once more.  
>"Can you lie down for me?" Mikkel asked, and the chimera looked at him with confusion and suspicion.<br>"You need to be sedated for this to work. It will be painless, I promise."  
>The boy didn't want to lie down on the table and go to sleep, letting this strange man with insane hair do whatever he wanted with him. He shook his head and tried to get off the table.<p>

But the woman was in the way. She grabbed his shoulders and pressed him down.  
>"Please don't hate me for this" she pleaded. He was about to retort somehow. Hiss at her, or try to growl, but he was interrupted by a slight stinging sensation in his arm. He turned his head in time to see the man inject him with something. Soon he could feel himself become drowsy, and he closed his eyes tiredly.<br>He could tear them both apart after a nap.


	3. Going the right way

_**Names:  
><strong>_**Jelena: Croatia  
>Mikkel:Denmark<strong>  
><strong>Bjørn: Sweden<br>Elias: Ladonia**

* * *

><p>After a good 2 hours, the door opened to reveal a relieved looking Mikkel. Jelena, who had been ordered to wait outside, looked to him in anticipation.<p>

"I got it out." Mikkel breathed. "It was pretty damn stuck in there, but I managed to get it out." Almost like he didn't even believe it himself. She felt her eyes widen, and her breath stopped short in her chest. "But?" she dared ask.

"But, it will take a little time for the wound to heal. So only give him liquidated food, alright? Milk would be best, or... well, dairy in general seems to be the best solution for the first week. I am not sure how well his body will heal on it's own, so I'll prescribe some medication for the pain he'll be feeling. You will also need to tell him to not remove that collar on his neck, or his wound will reopen." the veterinarian said in a steady voice.

She nodded and waited patiently for her neighbor to write and hand her the prescription.  
>"Can I see him?" she looked up and into Mikkel's eyes.<br>"Of course. He'll be sleeping still. The sedatives haven't worn off yet, but don't worry. I'll help you transport him home and into bed. He'll feel very drowsy at first, so be sure that he doesn't see you as a threat."  
>Inside the operating room, the chimera was sleeping on the table. He was dead still, only his chest moving. Even his ears and tail were limp.<br>Around his neck was a thick, white collar. It seemed to be made of some soft fabric, yet it was hard enough to offer neck support.  
>Jelena slowly moved up to him and gently touched it. It was indeed soft to the touch, but she could see she would be unable to remove it on her own. She would need special tools for that, which meant the chimera had to face Mikkel again.<br>_I hope he wont hurt him too badly. Maybe I should cut his nails while he's still asleep_ she thought.  
>"Is he going to be alright?"<br>The blonde palm tree haired man turned to her and smiled his signature bright smile.  
>"He will be just fine. Like I said earlier, it was stuck pretty good in there. It would have to be placed there a long time ago for the tissue to grow around it like that, so I had to cut it open. He will feel a burn if he tries to speak or make a sound."<br>He suddenly looked very excited, like he had just won the lottery or something like that.

"I have an idea for you! Get some ice cream for him! I can't imagine he has ever tried it before, and it's cold and very soothing for your throat after an operation like this one. And maybe it will make him like you more! Animals usually like the people who give them comfort and food."  
>"That's actually a good idea... Thanks, Mikkel" She was honestly surprised he could come up with good ideas once in a while. Most of the time, he acted like a goofball.<br>They worked together to gently carry the sleeping chimera into the car and drove home without any incidents. He even helped her carry him into his bed before he had to get back to work for the day. On their way in she could see the child again, Bjørn's son, staring curiously out the window. He must have been excited to meet new people like himself, she realized. He was bouncing slightly before he disappeared from the window.  
>She followed Mikkel out the door and got into her own car. She had to get that prescription medicine before the boy woke up.<p>

There was a strange smell in the air. What was it? It was pleasant. Warm. It made his brain try and connect the smell and the taste. What would it taste like? He was sure he had smelled something like it before. Like when he was still under the roof of...  
>No, don't think about <em>them. <em>

They're not here, are they? His throat was burning. Maybe they were, and that is why it hurt still. But didn't they do that to him years ago? Maybe if it wasn't so dark, he could see.  
>He focused, tried to change the darkness, but it didn't work. The smell got better and better. It smelled like... milk? It was boiled milk, wasn't it?<br>Something made him understand. His eyes were closed. That is why it was so dark. He willed his eyes to open, and they barely made a crack before it was dark again.  
>Why were his eyelids so heavy? Or was he just weak now? What happened to him?<br>He tried again, and this time, they opened to a world of blurry colors. Cream, beige, brown.  
>He tried to blink. Maybe his vision would improve. It did not.<br>He closed his eyes again. Now that he thought about it, his head felt strange. It felt heavy like his eyelids. Maybe I fell? Did I hit my head? What else can I feel?  
>There was a sound from below. Kitchen noises. Right, someone had to be boiling that milk. But for who? Was it for that kid who liked to hit him? Maybe not. He felt soft. He felt warm.<br>He couldn't be in that mansion, after all then.  
>If he felt soft, it could only mean he was on a pillow, or a bed, right? That is what soft was, after all.<br>He tried to open his eyes again, and this time he could see better. It was still a blurry world, but details slowly became known to him. A dresser, a painting on the wall next to it, beige curtains covering the window that were letting some light shine through them. It was sunny out, and someone had cut the grass. Grass didn't smell so strong unless someone cut them. He had always loved that smell. It smelled like freedom, it smelled like soft ground under his feet and hands. It smelled of wind and that nice boy with the light hair that used to play with him. But that was years ago, so where was he now?  
>He felt fear returning.<br>He looked down to see his body was covered with blankets. Soft and warm blankets. New ones, not old and full of holes. He had seen those kind of blankets before. He wanted to touch them so badly, and feel warm and safe, and now he had that. He wondered why.  
>His vision returned to him slowly, and he sat up, swaying a bit. He could smell the milk again, stronger this time. With the smell came the sound of footsteps. They came closer and closer, until they stopped close to him and the door opened, inviting the strong smell of milk. But also of lavender and spices.<p>

Upon opening the door to the chimera's room, Jelena stopped short. She hadn't expected the boy to be up already. She stood still and remembered what Mikkel had told her about not seeming like a threat. The chimera himself looked very sleepy, he even swayed slightly.  
>"Hey, how are you feeling? Are you up for some food?" she softly spoke, letting him get used to her again.<br>He blinked slowly and turned to look at her. He stared intently at her, but didn't move. Then, he sniffed the air and looked at the items in her hand. A glass and a bowl.  
>"I have some hot milk for you. I'm not sure if you like it lukewarm, but Mikkel said I couldn't give you something too warm because of you throat. Oh, and this is ice cream. I don't know if you have tasted it before, but eat slowly, alright? It's cold"<br>She slowly moved up to him and placed the bowl on the nightstand next to him and handed him the glass. He didn't take it from her at first, but decided to smell it in case this was a trap.  
>After he had deemed it legitimate, he took it from her gently and tasted it.<br>She backed off slightly and sat down on the floor, watching as his ears flickered and his tail swayed slowly. He seemed pleased, she noted. There was even a slight twitch at the corner of his lips, but they didn't stretch any. He drank the entire glass and licked his lips. It looked like he was trying to make a noise, but it only came out as a slight wheeze.

He placed the glass gently on the table, making sure it wouldn't fall and picked up the bowl curiously. He had never tasted this before. It didn't smell much, but it felt cold. He picked up the spoon and managed to dig up a small piece of the white substance and carefully tasted it. It **was **cold! But it tasted so good, and his throat felt good when he swallowed it.  
>He looked down at the woman on the floor and tilted his head slightly. He gently placed his hand on his collar and raised one eyebrow in silent question.<br>"Mikkel had your speech jammer removed surgically, so you will feel a slight burning in your throat of you try to talk too soon. He said to give it a week, and you will be able to talk again!" Jelena said with a happy voice. She was really happy she had such a caring neighbor and friend.  
>He felt even more confused, and tilted his head even more, not quite understanding why she would have it removed. Wasn't his voice unwanted? That was why his former owner had decided to push it down his throat in the first place. He almost choked on it, which he guessed was the reason he did it. He wasn't to speak, so why was this woman removing it?<br>It was obvious she understood him, even if he didn't use any words. She could see his confusion.

"You should be able to talk. It's cruel to take your voice away like that" she stated.  
>Was she serious? Did that mean she would take away his voice some other way? No, that wasn't right. Why would she give him food, and his own room if she wanted to be mean to him? Why would she give him blankets and warmth if she wanted to hurt him? She paid a lot of attention to him as well, if she gave him this cold and delicious treat because his throat would be burning.<br>That meant she was nice, right? Like that snowy haired kid from long ago.  
>Did that mean he was in a safe place now?<br>Did this mean someone cared about him?  
>He wasn't going to be hurting anymore?<br>There was something in his chest, that he hadn't felt in a long time. It was tight. Everything felt tight. It felt like he couldn't breathe, and his eyes felt warm and his vision blurred once more. Something was running down his cheeks, and he realized he was crying. Why was he crying?  
>Then, he felt something else. Something he had never felt before.<br>The woman had moved. He hadn't heard her move, but one moment she was on the floor, and the next, she was sitting on the edge of the bed and wrapped her arms around him. It felt warm. It felt safe. He wondered if this was what the humans had called love. He didn't care. All that mattered was that she was nice, she was warm, and she cared. He was safe here.  
>But even knowing that didn't stop the tears. He thought tears were bad, that tears only came out if something hurt. Maybe this meant they could be good too.<p>

There was so much he didn't understand about this new world he had been brought into. It was too much to think about, too much to ask. And he didn't have his voice to do so.  
><em>Not yet, anyway <em>he thought as he felt the tension in him disappear completely and his eyes slowly closing to bring rest to his tired being.


	4. Time to talk

_**Name list**_

**Jelena: Croatia  
>Mikkel: Denmark<br>Bjørn: Sweden  
>Elias: Ladonia<br>**

* * *

><p>When Mikkel hadn't heard from Jelena on the seventh day after the surgery, he began to worry. He tried telling himself it was no big deal. Even Bjørn and Elias told him to chill out, but nothing was working. He just loved animals too much. Hybrids or no.<p>

So naturally, he decided to visit his neighbor and remove the collar. It should be alright now, after all. So naturally, he walked right out the door, ignoring his chimera roommates telling him to calm down, and marched straight up to the Croatian household and opened the door. Why wasn't the door locked? Jelena never locked her door after getting the mail in the morning.

Besides, Mikkel had a spare key.

"Hey, guys! How are you doi-" Mikkel managed to say before his voice caught in his throat. The sight that met him was both cute, and hilarious.

Jelena had pulled out a table and two chairs on opposite sides. On the table stood a lamp, various manicure items in a small basket and a pillow in the middle with a towel over.

The chimera had his arms stretched out and his hands rested on the towel, where Jelena was busy filing his claws and applying oils for healthy nails. The poor boy looked very confused as to why she was rubbing a soft file over his claws, but a spark of curiosity kept him from removing his hands. Judging by the way his tail gently flickered, he must have liked the sensation of clean nails.

Mikkel coughed to get their attention, making both of them look up.

"What...what are you guys doing there? May I come in to check on him?" Mikkel stuttered, trying to accept this strange development. The chimera had been here for two weeks, and should be accepting this new home like any other cat, but a manicure was something he had never thought would happen.

"Sure, come on in. I'm nearly done here." Jelena giggled at his nervous face and continued her activities.

The chimera studied him in suspicion, but soon turned his attention to his claws again.

Mikkel decided to watch and observe the two. He wondered about the status of their relationship. How much did they both trust each other, and what was okay to do and so on.

After another 5 minutes, Jelena wiped off his nails with the towel and beamed of happiness. "All done!"

_Guess it's my turn _Mikkel thought.

"So.. I wanted to remove the collar today" He tried. That got them instantly. The chimera stopped studying his claws, and Jelena stopped plotting to color them with the "midnight blue" polish.

Although, the way they both whipped their heads in sync and stared at him with wide eyes scared him a little, he had to admit.

"So... come over here, and let me see how it looks" he beckoned the chimera over to him so he could use his tools to remove the collar.

He worked slowly, and the chimera wiggled a little, but eventually he managed to pull the collar off.

The chimera rubbed his throat softly and moved his head around slightly.

Mikkel looked on and paid more attention to how his neck looked. No scars left, no irritation, and no damage to his skin. Perfect. Now if only he could speak.

"Can you say anything?" Mikkel tried. The chimera stared at him like he was stupid. Maybe he was. After all, the chimera hadn't talked for god knows many years by now, and maybe he even forgot how to.

"Really? You're asking him to talk so soon? Shouldn't he get used to using his throat like a normal human being?" Jelena snapped at him. She looked annoyed.

"Well, at least he could try! I'm the veterinarian here! If he tried making a noise I could help him develop it!" Mikkel snapped back.

They kept snapping back and forth until they noticed the chimera glare at them both.

Then, in a very scratchy voice, he glowered at them.

"I'm n't a kid" he managed, his voice rusty and vibrating in his throat. "You b'g id'ot"

Silence filled the room until Jelena erupted in laughter.

"Did you hear that? He called you an idiot!" she roared, clutching her stomach.

"I...I heard" Mikkel stuttered. He tried to stay serious, but Jelena's laugh was too infectious. Soon, he was laughing as well, while the chimera glared at them both.

When the laugh died down, the boy stepped close to Mikkel and slapped him in the back of the head.

The veterinarian quickly brought his hands up to inspect the damage and make sure the pet hadn't used his claws. Luckily, he hadn't.

"What was that for?" he whined, watching Jelena bite her lip to contain her laughter.

The chimera glared fiercely and hissed at him before stalking over to the stairs and climbing them in a very angry manner.

"What was that for?!" Mikkel shouted after him.

Jelena answered him, as the chimera decided to leave his presence. "He was angry with you for sedating him. He hit my head too before he let me give him a manicure."

The blonde stared at her.

"You planning on painting his claws in some color?"

"Noooo...nooo" it seemed like she was trying to change the topic by suggesting how ridiculous that thought was, but Mikkel knew she was considering it.

"Well, he should be fine now. But keep that prescription just in case. See ya later, and don't hesitate to call!"

He decided to flee before she gave him a manicure too.

After her neighbor had left, Jelena decided to give the boy some time to blow off some steam. It would be better if she didn't go up to him, she knew.

She sighed and pulled up her laptop and opened her school's student/teacher portal.

"Time to grade some papers then" she muttered as she opened the first history paper of this month.

She absentmindedly thought back to her schedule at the school and checked the date. _Another week of my vacation _she thought.

She wasn't a fully educated teacher yet. She still had another full year as teachers assistant to get good marks and a passing grade. Even if she was just 20 years old, she had been home schooled, and thus she had advanced her classes. Really, she didn't need to pass all the subjects other children did. She knew from the very beginning that she wanted to be a teacher. Especially history and biology interested her, so she only needed to take some basic exams at the end of the years with the other children in school, and then she focused solely on her subjects she would later specialize in. She also took maths, so she was more qualified because of her lack of public schooling.

She had finally made it, and she was helping a class of 17 year olds. 12th grade, in other words. They only had another year left before going to college or university in other cities, so she was doing her best to help them in her subjects.

_Oh, Eirikur. You really need to get past the viking era_ she shook her head and smiled at her students love for his ancestors. _Leon is the same, huh... writing about Bruce Lee again..._

Silly students. Truly they took an interest in the past, and that is all she wanted.

She felt needed and she felt useful when they did, but nothing could compare to the chimera upstairs. He needed her more than anyone else, and she would be there for him. There was a reason she decided to take a few weeks off from work. Thankfully she got a month off, working from home instead and taking all the grading work off the hands of the teacher as part of the deal. Thankfully, he knew the importance of the chimera by now, and he supported her wishes, which is why she got the time off in the first place.

"I should get him a bottle of wine as thanks" she spoke to herself aloud, and decided to search the winery website for a good one.

Being occupied, she didn't realize the chimera stalking down the stairs and watching her, sitting on the bottom step.

She didn't notice him until she had graded five papers, given them notes and decided she wanted to get something alcoholic to drink and put on a movie.

"Hello there. How does your throat feel?" she asked him with a smile.

The chimera stared at her, a little uncertain. Then, he nodded slightly.

She didn't mind him not talking yet. It much be very scratchy and hard to talk after an operation and god knows how many years of silence.

She nodded and proceeded into the kitchen, the chimera following her silently.

He seemed interested in her things after getting a manicure. He was inspecting his claws silently as she found her wine and some chocolates in a bowl.

"Just take some food from the fridge if you're hungry" she said as she found the wine glass and walked past the curious new addition to her house.

Jelena flopped down into the couch and placed her edibles on the coffee table and clicked on the remote, turning on the TV and the movie box.

"Hmmm... I am in the mood for some superhero movie, I think..." she mumbled, and selected 'The Incredible Spiderman'.

The movie began to play, and she decided to make herself cozy and grabbed the nearest blanket, but her hand stopped. The blanket didn't move when she pulled on it.

Ah, the chimera was leaning on the blanket and stared at the wine bottle.

"This is wine" she explained and poured some in her glass, so he could see the color. "Red wine."

He tilted his head, then pointed at the bowl.

"Chocolate"

Then, he pointed at himself.

"….you want some chocolate? Or did you want to try the wine perhaps?" she tried.

He shook his head slightly and pointed at her.

"Me?" she was confused. She didn't really understand what he was trying to do. He seemed frustrated at her lack of understanding.

He pointed to the chair.

"Chair." she supplied.

Then the fluffy pillows near her.

"Pillow"

Then he pointed at her again.

"...Jelena?" she was catching on.

Then he pointed at himself.

"I...I don't know your name" she spoke softly. It was like he was waiting for her to give him a name.

The room was silent, save for the movie playing in the background.

The chimera stared at her intently, and Jelena wasn't sure what she was supposed to do.

After what seemed like an hour, the chimera raised his hand and pointed at himself.

"Sigurd" he said in a scratchy voice.


End file.
